Battery replacement

[Wayfarer]

Afternoon All
The battery on my x5 f15 40d, is now six years old and I’ve had a couple of start engine battery discharge level high warnings, normally when it’s been parked for a week or two without use apart from opening and closing doors etc.
I have put the battery on charge visually the under bonnet connections and let it charge and trickle charge for 24 hours, and all was well until a week ago (cold snap in weather) when the warning reappeared. However I have just done a 450 mile round trip to Devon and back over a few days and all was well.
I have put this warning down to the battery starting to loose capacity due to age and lack of use of the car combined with colder temperatures.
So as a preemptive strike, I have purchases a new replacement Bosch battery and plan to install it this weekend.
I have found some instructions for the replacement routine and then registration using Bimmerlink, but before I leap in and do it are there any things to be aware of.
My current thoughts are if Halfords’s can do it then it’s not particularly difficult, but thought I’d ask first!

[Leslie]

I'm in a similar situation my e70 battery is also 6 years old and the radio is going of as soon as the engine is stopped , its starts absolutely fine though at the minute but replacement is growing near . Every time a door is opened through you can hear things powering up again and this is often the reason for the battery posting warnings as there is quite a current draw and when combined with little use the car isn't getting the charging its needs to cope. Mine is also not used much at the mnute as I have a second cheaper to run car

[X5Sport]

There were no other steps when I last changed the X6 battery, and I will very likely need to change it again in the near future for the same reason. Old age.

I did keep my CTEK 10A charge connected in ‘supply’ mode when I disconnected the battery after having waited for the car to go to sleep so it didn’t lose any memory etc settings. I’m not sure it’s an ‘approved’ way of doing things though…

Used Carly to recode the battery and job done.

[Wayfarer]

Thanks for the info, silly question I suspect, but how do you know the car has gone to sleep as the boot will be open ?

[X5Sport]

Not sure on your version, but on mine it takes 12-15 minutes. There is a tell-tale, but I can’t remember what it is now - too long since I did mine. The E53 had a ‘P’ symbol on the shifter that went out. There should be some light that stays on. If the boot lights go out, that may be a clue too.

[Wayfarer]

I’ll have a look and see if anything stays on when I next park it up after a run, if not I’ll leave it for 15 mins or do before starting the change, I’m sure the interior lights go off after after a while

[X5Sport]

Just don’t open any doors/bonnet again as that wakes the car. I think the lights going out is part of the sleep process.

It might be 30 mins if the tailgate is open.

I’ve checked the TIS and it describes the entire process…..but doesn’t mention any tell-tale. That probably means that I’m not using the ‘right’ word. Tried ‘sleep, wake, indicator, tell-tale, warning……

[Wayfarer]

Thanks, interesting haven’t come across anything anywhere else re it sleeping or whatever it’s called, more googling called for

[Wayfarer]

The power of Google or duck duck go in this case, hopefully basically correct

It won’t, but follow the right procedure for disconnecting the batteries:
Open the door and trunk
Move the key out of the range, so it won’t wake up the vehicle
Wait till all electronics sleep ( I would say 15-20 min, you’ll see when the light on the trunk door is off)
Disconnect the batteries
Doing it that way will prevent from various errors been stored in the vehicle.

[Alan Gunn]

16 minutes i thought it was to sleep.
But changed a few batteries on bmw and merc's just opened bonnet or boot and in with the spanner job done never any problems after.

[Wayfarer]

Thanks for the info and guidance.
Battery changed today and all went well, due to the inclement weather I took it to my local independent technician, a very knowledgeable young chap, who specialises in VW Audi group vehicles, but has a lot of experience with other makes from a few years with the AA.
Mainly to be sure it was fitted by a qualified professional in case of any issues, also didn’t want to leave it open in the wet and windy weather whilst it went to sleep.
Anyway all done and battery registered to vehicle.
Appeared to start smoother and quicker and the stop start was functioning at the traffic lights half a mile down the road. Hopefully get another five years with this battery.

[X5Sport]